This invention relates to apparatus for transporting granulated slag and the like. More particularly, this invention relates to a new and improved conveyor belt for conveying granulated slag and the like, particularly blast furnace slag, from a metallurgical slag filtering apparatus. The conveyor belt of the present invention comprises, in part, two movable sections mounted on a rigid frame.
The general type of filtering apparatus to which this invention is directed is disclosed in my earlier U.S. Pat. No. 4,204,855, of which all of the disclosure is incorporated herein by reference. This invention presents an improved conveyor belt system particularly suitable for that filtration system, but not limited thereto. Other improved features and details of the filtering apparatus described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,204,855 are disclosed in copending U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 578,816 and 578,817 being filed simultaneously herewith, all of the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto.
The filtration apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 4,204,855 generally comprises a substantially horizontal rotary drum having filtering screens or foraminous walls along the outside surface thereof and being provided with internal vanes along the inside surface thereof for conveying metallurgical slag upwardly. Thereafter, the filtered slag falls freely onto a conveyor belt passing longitudinally through the drum. A filtering apparatus of this type will also include a feed channel through which the pulp, i.e., granulated slag and water, is fed onto the drum.
In order to have improved accessability to both the conveyor belt and the interior of the rotary drum, particularly for maintenance, it would be advantageous to provide an improved conveyor belt which can be easily removed from the interior of the rotary drum.